San Antonio Film Festival launches at Main Plaza

Once Gypsy-like, the 16-year-old San Antonio Film Festival seems to have found a home in the Instituto Cultural de México en San Antonio at HemisFair Park. Last year, the festival had a great turnout, as a who’s who of local filmmaking talent was on hand to showcase their latest work.

Perhaps a sign of its growing popularity, the festival has added an extra, off-site evening screening session this year. Seven films are scheduled for the festival’s kick-off night, 8-11 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free, as opposed to the rest of the festival. Bring a lawn chair, blanket, ice chest, you know the drill.

The festival continues June 23-27 at the instituto, 600 HemisFair Park. Daytime screenings are $10, evening $15. Tickets are sold at the door. Visit the festival’s website for more info.

Here’s Saturday’s lineup:

Recuerdo

45 minutes

Director, Vincent Valdez, San Antonio

“Recuerdo” is the second video piece by artist Vincent Valdez. Produced by Federal Art Project and the Southwest School of Art and Craft with Production Supervision by Luis Guizar, the work consists of a San Antonio cityscape and portraits of San Antonio residents from various backgrounds.

Fear It Self

6 minutes

Director, William Wonders III, Brooklyn, NY

After a year in sabbatical a pastor returns to the same pulpit where he was shot by a young man. Fear has made a home in this man’s life , affecting him and his family. The pastor will have to face his fear as he takes to the pulpit once again.

Oro Verde (Green Sea)

14 minutes

Director, Ignacio Busuier, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Different people working on the most southern tea-growing areas in the world are intertwined to build a relaxed look on small moments and details of the routine as some residents called the Tea zone of Argentina.

Today

18 minutes

Director, Dustin Chow, Cincinnati, OH

An experiment fusing the arts of audio recording, concert performance and HD cinematography. Produced as a part of The University of Cincinnati’s Senior Showcase.

The Interview

21 minutes

Director, Brian Schwarz, Austin, TX

Roger has a job interview and he needs his daughter, Sarah, to help. But when Sarah refuses to cooperate, Roger learns that there are some things he must learn to do on his own.

Stay Brady Stay

26 minutes

Director, John Sutherlin, Monroe, LA

A documentary on the brain phenomenon in Northeast Louisiana. Brain drain, or the loss of intellectual capital, is affecting rural areas throughout the nation and is an issue begging for greater public awareness.

So as Through Fire

14 minutes

Director, Tony Pauletto, North Hollywood, CA

In the desert of the Old West, a disoriented young man happens upon a team of outlaws. Maddened by banishment and scorched by the sun, the men offer some enlightenment to the passing stranger.